Testimonials for The Art of Personal Mythmaking, live version

Janelle, I don't think I had a fear about taking the Personal Mythmaking course or about working with you. From what I read about the course and the sense I had energetically from you and from the course was one of openness. I had a feeling that I don't have to reach something or be something or create something, that I am invited by you to be in tune to myself (all parts) and can be witnessed in this. This gave me a sense of comfort and safety and fears just didn't awaken.

The only thing I was a bit anxious about was how it will be for me with English being my second language, and even that just felt part of my myth. My two languages and the way each of them is a portal for me to certain things and the dialogues I have with each of the languages is part of my memoir.

My favourite part was the opening of each module and diving into the richness of it with all the inspirations, outlooks, prompts you brought. It felt like a new world opening up every week.

My very best favourite part was the reading and listening at the end of every writing circle. The freedom in listening or being listened to without producing feedback, or reflection, or verbalizing what's going on inside me, or speculating what should I say or who's gonna say something to me.... There was a calmness in this and it deepened and widened my ability to listen and gave way to my ease in reading. This quietness that was so delicate and fine felt natural to me. It also elicited quite the same listening within me, which enabled the inner discourse to be also silent and witnessing, this widened the range of expression and exposure within.

If I were to recommend this course to my best friend, first of all, I would say that it is a beautiful experience. There is a huge invitation in the Art of Personal Mythmaking, an invitation that holds in it a potential to interact, to befriend and to express ourselves.

What you created is so rich and layered. The modules and the way they are metaphorically weaved into the body - skeleton, circulatory system, organs etc., the range of prompts, inspirations and facets that you brought into each module is fascinating. It feels like an exquisite embroidery that you put so much energy into and this is so palpable whilst reading, looking, listening or writing the prompts. So much attention was put into it.

Next I would say, that you bring a range of expertise, a humbleness and openness towards the diversity of personal paths.

You bring the deep understanding of a creative process, that it goes through many many bodies and has it's own route and pace.

You bring a great curiosity, an innocence that is intimate with excitement and joy, and a grounded presence. The knowledge you have about the physical body, the nervous system, co regulation, trauma and how crucial it is for this sort of writing, and the trust you have in our bodies wisdom.

You bring a feeling that there is a place for everything and yet we don't have to dive into it or stop the world for it, rather treating our states as energy in motion (e-motion) inviting our inner witness to be present.

You also bring an enormous generosity! The modules are gushing with richness. You are generous in the way you organise the technical aspects, the accessibility to materials recordings prompts, guidances, etc; it is so so friendly and helpful. You share so much of your experience and knowledge of websites and auxiliary aids that can support use. You are abundant and share this so openly.

You also bring a precision and clarity with borders which created such a holding and left energies focused on the process and the writing. It felt that you are doing this with a sensitivity and conviction.

I would also say that I loved the mystery and magic in braiding the myths with our biographies. Swimming the waters of imagination, collective wisdom, archetypes, spans of time and culture and this coming together with the biography, the narrative and the experience; this shuffling birthed something every time a new, uncovering so much of the benevolence folded into our lives.

Oren, Artist & therapist, Portugal

My biggest fear about this programme was that I will not have enough time to complete it, that I will not be able to follow all the materials on time, keep up with everyone else... I was afraid that this is absolutely needed, and this might be a challenge. Eventually, I could follow the process in my own pace, and still fully engage in activities in the shared space.

Most of all I loved the writing circles. I enjoyed them not only because the live process itself, which always gives so much by indeed helping to do the writing and to try out the writing prompts together, but also how they were facilitated. Equity was there was always in the focus - in terms of accessing the experience, having time and space to share, be themselves. There wasn’t even once that I regretted joining, however challenging for me it has been sometimes to make it.

This programme helped me to start to enjoy writing, I have never thought I could do, and to build friendship with someone, whom I far too long have abandoned in my life. This someone is me.

Ieva Petkutė, Arts Researcher & Arts Manager, Lithuania

Before I started the course, I was afraid that my writing wouldn’t be good enough. In REALITY it was. In fact, the writing prompts awoke my muse.

My favourite part of the course was hearing about other people’s lives.

This course will transform you, open your heart to believing in yourself, and enrich your life with the connections to others all over the world.

Marianne McCashin, Counselor, Canada

When I started Janelle’s Personal Mythmaking course, I’d been working on my memoir for years, but in a practical sense, I was getting nowhere.

By the time the course finished, I had a complete outline (the spine and organs of my book with its threads and themes,) three full chapters, and the start of my book proposal.

I don’t mean to suggest that Janelle’s course whips your book into shape. Rather, she’s designed a masterful journey through unexpected detours where you discover the soul of your memoir and the most crucial essences of your story and voice.

You’ll get writing prompts that take you through myth, archetypes, fairy tales, and artwork. The sources are vast, but they synthesize together to inform and reframe your personal paradigms.

Janelle is a gifted teacher with genius instincts on juxtaposing sources and materials to spark genuine creativity. Her body focus set light to what is now an essential part of my own creative life.

The course also led me to generate tons of material for articles or essays, but honestly, its gifts were less about practical goals (which were met) and more about opening up and exploring my story with an intricacy and intensity I never could’ve found on my own.

Take this course. Your writing practice will ignite. But if you were led to this material, it’s your creative spirit, your very soul, that’s yearning for this original and singularly eccentric adventure.

molly pennington, phd, USA

This class has been leading into some really introspective conversations with my therapist.

She's been really intrigued by how much more it's helped me open up and wade through some topics I tend to avoid, even after almost a decade of building this relationship with her.

Thank you so much for offering it.

Anonymous, USA

My biggest fear about taking this course was reading my writing in front of other people. While I continue to feel vulnerable in sharing, I feel safe and supported in this community.

The risk of sharing raw, vulnerable writing has deepened my trust in myself and I am willing to take more risks in other areas of my life.

I have learned about my boundaries, what I am willing to share in what situations and to make decisions accordingly.

My favourite part of the course was the surprises I discovered in my stories, as well as watching others be surprised by theirs.

I am a Listener and a Storyteller going on a treasure hunt. I don’t know what I am going to find that day. It may take 15 minutes of writing to find a gem, but in continuing to show up, the discoveries deepen over time.

As I find more and more gems, eventually – with Janelle’s help – I see the potential for a necklace.

Janelle’s writing process, with focus on embodiment, has been important healing work for me. Her leadership is quiet and compassionate. Her writing process is gentle and healing.

She offers an abundant banquet and lets me choose what to try. She encourages me to go at my own pace, including information about resistance so that I don’t get stuck. She includes time for rest and integration which allows the stories to be revealed to me.

Janelle answers questions with a deep wisdom and caring.

When I ask questions, she hears. Her insightful answers reveal that she sees what others do not, offering many suggestions and encouraging me to do what works best for me.

I have learned a lot about myself and learned how to listen to what I need right now and what to save for later, a treasure to return to.

Each week includes a body-based exercise and prompt. I have made Janelle’s body-based exercises a daily practice to gently calm and regulate my nervous system.

Over a few months, I have noticed that I can relax more deeply and feel less stressed. My writing is richer and deeper, leading me places I didn’t expect and remembering more details than when I don’t start with a body-based prompt.

The embodiment work has also enriched my spiritual practice, allowing me to enter into my Centering Prayer meditation in a calmer state than I used to end it.

The daily work with body practices give me the courage/confidence to take more risks in my relationships too.

Words cannot express how grateful I am to Janelle and her process, which I believe will transform anyone who commits to it, individually and in community.

Lisa B., Colorado Springs